In late 2022, a young Ivy League student named https://dentalimplantsinaurora.com/ Sarah Katz purchased a Charged Lemonade from Panera without knowing the drink’s caffeine content. This ultimately triggered her heart condition and sent her into cardiac arrest. Following Katz’s death, her loved ones insisted that she wouldn’t have chosen the beverage if she knew it was as caffeinated as an energy drink.
Unfortunately, not until Katz’s family opened a lawsuit against Panera did the chain take measures to inform customers about its Charged Lemonades. Panera Bread’s website now includes a statement urging customers to consume Charged Lemonades “in moderation” and to avoid the drinks entirely if “sensitive to caffeine” or pregnant. The beverages are also listed as containing caffeine, though it remains unclear if Panera has provided customers information regarding FDA recommendations on daily limits. While it’s certainly an improvement that Panera has added what’s essentially a warning label to its Charged Lemonades, those labels mean very little if they aren’t accompanied by context.